FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
For more information: Karen L.Guarino, Communications Director (585) 272-7890
The Rochester / Finger Lakes Eye & Tissue Bank (R/FLETB), a nonprofit organ and tissue
donation agency, has awarded grants totaling $47,366 to three researchers from the Rochester and
Syracuse, NY, areas. The period of funding is for January 1, 2007 through December 31, 2007.
Investigators Bruce Goldman, M.D., and Tingchung Wang, Ph.D., Department of Pathology
and Laboratory Medicine, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, will receive
$11,450 for their research project, An In Vitro Model for Studying Myocardial Stem Cell
Transplantation. Their project will study rat and porcine stem cell survival, growth and differentiation
after transplantation. They will identify factors which enhance stem cell implantation and viability for
potential treatment or prevention of heart failure following heart attacks.
Liang Feng, Ph.D., Center for Aging and Developmental Biology, University of Rochester
Medical Center, Rochester, NY, will receive $20,000 for his research project, Putative Role for Brn3b
in Mature Retinal Ganglion Cell Survival. Feng’s project will investigate whether the loss of certain
molecular mechanisms may contribute to the degeneration of adult retinal ganglion cells typically seen
in those suffering with glaucoma.
Sudipta Tripathi, Ph.D., principal investigator and Dilip Kittur, M.D., Sc.D., co-investigator,
Department of Surgery, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, will receive $15,916 for
their research project, Prevention of Cyclosporin A mediated chronic allograft rejection/vasculopathy.
Their project will study the anti-rejection drug Cyclosporine’s effect on long term graft rejection.
These grants continue a program begun in 1954 through which more than $1 million has been
awarded to investigators conducting transplantation and vision-related research. Founded in 1952, the
R/FLETB serves the Western, Central, Finger Lakes and Northern NY regions, as well as North Central
PA.
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